Press Release
Published on March 11, 2025
Human Rights First welcomes the reported arrest of former Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte on an International Criminal Court arrest warrant as a major step toward justice for the victims and survivors of Duterte’s so-called “war on drugs.”
“Security forces in the Philippines committed thousands of extrajudicial killings that have gone largely unpunished, and today is a victory for the advocates who have been working hard to mobilize the ICC and other justice institutions in their fight against impunity,” said Susan Hendrickson, President and CEO of Human Rights First.
Duterte is reportedly in national custody pending transfer to the ICC.
Karapatan, an alliance of activists and organizations advocating for human rights in the Philippines and the winner of Human Rights First’s 2021 William D. Zabel Award, said in a statement: “With Duterte’s arrest, the Filipino people are hopefully a step closer to attaining justice and accountability for Duterte’s many crimes.” Karapatan urged the Philippine government to ensure that Duterte “is actually delivered to the ICC for detention and trial” and to share evidence with the ICC.
“The Philippines made a sovereign decision to give the ICC jurisdiction over grave crimes that took place on their territory from 2011 to 2019,” said Adam Keith, Human Rights First’s senior director for accountability. “Having said and done little to support domestic justice for these crimes, the U.S. government should now stay out of the way as the ICC does its job as a court of last resort.”
The U.S. Congress and the Trump administration have considered imposing a wide range of sanctions on the ICC for its investigation of the situation in Palestine. Draft legislation that the Senate voted down in January would also have made it a sanctionable act for non-U.S. persons to engage in or support the ICC’s Philippines investigation.
The Trump administration’s February executive order authorizing sanctions does not appear to treat the Philippines investigation in the same manner, but its financial sanctions on the ICC’s prosecutor create a broad risk of criminal and civil enforcement penalties for those who support the prosecutor in any investigation. The Trump administration should immediately withdraw these sanctions and support accountability for international crimes.
To speak with Hendrickson, Keith or other experts at Human Rights First please contact press@humanrightsfirst.org.
